Weight check - boers

bluefish · #1 02/28/13, 09:13 AM

Just kinda curious as to how our boer babies are doing. Are they on track, ahead, behind? They were all pretty close to 7 lbs at birth and are now all with in a few ounces of 15 lbs. 3 weeks old today.

My experience is with dairy, so just curious. Thanks!

Ford Zoo · #2 02/28/13, 02:57 PM

That's giving you an averge daily gain of .28 pounds, but you will really know better when they hit weaning age. I think most breeders shoot for .4-.5 pound ADG for their best growing kids. Hopefully Dona can jump in here, I'm still new to the boer breed.

Do you have a creep feeder for them? What is the doe being fed? How many kids on her? Have you been giving cocci prevention? Those are all things tht can affect growth rates.

bluefish · #3 02/28/13, 04:11 PM

Creep feeder is in the works, should have it the next couple days, dam raised triplets, mom gets free choice grass hay and a flake of alfalfa, cocci prevention theoretically started today, but I'm not sure how much got down them.

Ford Zoo · #4 02/28/13, 04:33 PM

I think you'll see more ADG after they start creep feeding. Good luck, I find it fun to watch their growth. Just weighed my January Kiko and kiko crosses today again. I haven't calculated yet, but they are all singles and appear to be growing out well. They are not much into the creep feed here yet, but they are happy to share hay with all the does.

Ford Zoo · #5 02/28/13, 04:37 PM

What are you using for cocci prevention? I just started using the Baycox this year, so far so good. Their feed has decoquinate in it, but when I bought a new bag today, I noticed Nutrena has doubled the amount in the feed. I'm going to investigate this a bit more tonight. Nutrena is the only medicated feed I can buy around here, and I have to drive an hour to get it.

bluefish · #6 02/28/13, 05:07 PM

I'm using dimethox 12.5%.

chma4 · #7 03/02/13, 07:40 AM

I had two boer babies born january 28th. They are 1 month old, and were 7.75, and 9 lbs at birth. Both were 19.25 this morning. They have been eating both caprine challenger ad libitum and hay for weeks now. I am very happy with their gain. I have not used cocci prevention, as it is not something I have ever been taught to do here in nj??? Never have cocci in fecals that I am aware of?

chma4 · #8 03/02/13, 07:40 AM

both doelings BTW

Crazy Farmgirl · #9 03/02/13, 08:32 AM

For dam raised triplets they are doing good. A stated if you start creep feeding you will see more gain. For now sounds like mom is doing pretty good for feeding 3.